


there are two paths ahead of you

by Astral Aeon (DreamyRequiem)



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Gen, THE KIDS GET ONLY PLATONIC TIMES OKAY BYE, also sentient world shenangins, anyway, headcanons treated as fact, look if ff7 can do it so can i, one shot only not gonna continue, sort of?? It's Complicated, teen and up for safety i guess???, tfw ur younger self out stubborns u
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-03
Updated: 2018-01-03
Packaged: 2019-02-27 14:48:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13250487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DreamyRequiem/pseuds/Astral%20Aeon
Summary: It's not often one's future self is able to talk to you. Noctis doesn't get why he won't tell him anything, though--Why not change the future?





	there are two paths ahead of you

**Author's Note:**

> unbeta`d
> 
> yo man i'm so glad to finish this i can move onto another project now

Noctis was asleep when he saw the man.

The only reason he knew he was asleep was because he could walk without any problems, no stabbing pains or limps. Noctis loved to jump and sprint in his dreams, because he couldn't do so when he was awake. But now was not a time of running through the fields of Sylleblossom Luna had shown him.

Instead, it was time to speak to the man who had been distantly there in his dreams since he had his accident. Or, Noctis knew he had been, it was just that Noctis had never been close enough to actually see him. That might sound strange to waking ears but to a mind alseep it made more than perfect sense.

So Noctis decided to go the sad man, for the man was sadder than anyone Noctis had ever seen. Even his father, when his father had been hovering over Noctis himself, scared and angry. Noctis never learned who his dad had been angry with.

He hoped it was the daemon.

But the sad man didn't seem to notice Noctis at first. He was staring at the coming dawn, as if he hadn't seen one in years. Noctis peered up at the man with a serious look. Or at least as serious as an eight year old can look. The sad man looked a lot like his dad, Noctis thought.

Eventually, he tugged on the sad man's cape. Noctis wanted his attention and, after a few more tugs, the sad man looked down at him. He seemed surprised to see him and Noctis tilted his head, confused by the sad man' reaction. Was it that strange to see him here?

"Are you okay?" Noctis asked, tugging on the man's cape more.

The man stared down at him before finally saying, his voice soft, "I'm fine. I'm just...tired. That's all."

Noctis nodded sagely. He could understand that, Noctis was tired a lot too. It's why he liked sleeping--it let him stop feeling tired all the time. "Are you sleeping right now? I know I am--It's nice to sleep and dream." Especially because he can't actually walk very well outside of his dreams right now.

He paused, looking down at him. "Something like what. What're you doing here, anyway? I doubt you got here on accident...kid."

Hey now. Noctis pouted. "`m not a kid. I've seen daemons and everything--and..." He went quiet, as he remembered the warm blood of the maid who had come with him. She'd been so nice to him, when they were at the Cape....

The man puts a hand on Noctis' head and Noctis' looked up. The man looked even more like this dad, like this. Noctis wondered if his dad had any long lost brothers, like in the stories. That'd be so cool! And, it'd mean Noctis would have an uncle.

"You're still a kid, because you're still eight," The man said, voice soft, "Don't be so eager to grow up, you hear?"

Noctis hesitated: How had the man known he was eight? "But if I'm older I can help my dad more--and I can help Luna too."

He hummed, pulling back from Noctis. "So you're already there, huh...Oh, Noctis. You don't want to get older. Life is so much harder as an adult." The man's hands are clasped in his lap and Noctis suddenly realized something.

This man was not just a random person--it was _him_ , right? Maybe that was weird to think but how else would this man know Noctis was eight and that he knew Luna? Besides, the man looked like how Noctis hoped to--like his dad but not.

But why would he tell him not to want to get older? What happened to make himself so sad?

"Is that why you're so sad?" Noctis finally asked, flopping down on the log his older self was sitting at. It wasn't very comfortable. Why was he sitting on it? Why didn’t he just imagine a nice comfy couch or bed to sit on? Sure it’d look weird in a forest like this but it was better than splinters, right?

The man frowned a bit. "Sad, huh? Something like that. When you become an adult bad things happen that you can't stop, sometimes." He looked off into the forest ahead of them, his expression glum.

Noctis frowned back at himself. Jeez, sounded kind of de-fea-tist to him. Just because bad things happened, that doesn't mean he can't stop them! He told his older self as such and the man let out a startled laugh.

"If only there was a way," The man said, smiling. Even his smiles were sad.

"I bet there is--Like, I dunno, maybe you just need to tell someone what the bad things are and they can help you stop it!" Or help me stop it, I guess.

The man raised an eyebrow. "What like you? Sorry kiddo, this is far too heavy a burden for an eight year old."

Noctis groaned. When was he gonna realize that Noctis knew who he was? And it wasn't going to be a burden! He was gonna help save the world, with Luna! So why won't he just tell him what went so wrong to make him so sad?

"Just tell me, you dummy!" Noctis stood up, his hands on his hips, trying to channel Ravus when the older boy thought Noctis and Luna were being 'silly.' "I'm gonna help Luna save the world so why won't you tell me what went so wrong so we can fix it?"

Older Noctis stared and then ran a hand through his hair. "I keep forgetting how smart kids can be--Look, this is pretty heavy. It's not something a kid should have to deal with."

Noctis puffed out his cheeks, like an angry bullfrog. "`m not a kid--But seriously, just tell me! I mean, I can tell dad and we can do something about it all! Please?"

The man hesitated before nodding.

* * *

When Noctis woke up, he still remembered everything the older him told him. About Bahamut and the prophecy and Ardyn. Noctis definitely doesn't like the sound of dying just because someone else can't. He decided that it's very dumb that the gods themselves can't even fix this.

It's their fault the starscourge was even there, wasn't it? Why did they have to take care of their mess? That’s what his dad said Noctis had to do when he made a mess, instead of letting the maids and servants do it. Something about responsibility… Noctis pouted hard but slowly wriggled out of bed, managing to get to his wheelchair.

He needed to go see Luna, _fast._

* * *

Lunafreya--Luna, she thought happily--woke up in the morning to Noctis' shaking. The younger boy was sitting in his wheelchair, still in his pajamas, shaking her as hard as he could. He looked worried and fretful and Luna automatically felt the urge to ease those worries.

How could she not? Noctis deserved an anxiety free childhood. It was more than she got--and she wanted him to have what she couldn't.

"Luna, are you up?" He asked, his hand clenched on her covers. At her sleepy nod, he seemed to relax. "Luna, we gotta do something! Older me said that the Astrals want us to die so we can stop the scourge but that's dumb because it's their fault in the first place it exists??? Why do we have to die, when it's their responsibility?"

She almost stopped breathing in those moments, now wide awake. Who had told Noctis this? Who would dare--wait, Older 'me'?

Luna reached forward to take his hands in hers. "Noctis, what do you mean an older you said?"

He paused and then nodded to himself. "I was dreaming and there was a man there and I figured out he was me even though he never told me and then I kinda...bullied him into telling me what happens in the future and Luna!! We gotta stop it--Your mom, my dad...Ravus and all those other people...If we don't stop it now, they'll all die." Noctis' voice had lowered to a scared whisper the longer he spoke.

It took effort, but she steadied herself. "You're sure he was telling all of the truth?" Luna wasn't going to lie to him. If he had never found out--yes, she likely would have kept it from him to protect him. But now that he knows? She will not lie. Luna refused to.

"Yeah, of course! He only told me after I mentioned you and dad, too. So...I know it's true!" His voice touched with indignation, Noctis bounced in place. He only stopped after he knocked his knee against the wheelchair's handles.

Luna smiled a bit and squeezed his hands. "Alright, if you're sure I will trust in you. How about we go and talk to Gentiana and find out what we can do to help everyone, okay?" She paused, glancing at her own and Noctis' clothes. "But first, maybe we should change into our day clothes?"

Noctis looked down and then flushed in embarrassment. Luna supposed he hadn't realized that he was still in his pajamas in his rush to come wake her up. She couldn't help but giggle and got up, gesturing to Noctis that she will be getting dressed in the bathroom, solely so that she can wheel him back to his room in her clothes.

She put on her usual plain white dress in the bathroom and stepped out, wheeling Noctis' chair out of the room and back towards his own. Once they arrived it was to see a worried and fretting Regis, with her own mother patting his arm and telling him that Noctis was fine.

Whoops.

"King Regis, Mother. My apologies, Noctis was with me." Luna called out, gaining their attention. Regis seemed to relax on sight of Noctis. Noctis, on the other hand, seemed to go teary eyed. Oh dear. What had his older self said about his father? Luna had a bad feeling about that.

Luna ignored it. "Mother, Noctis said earlier he wishes to see Gentiana about something after he's dressed," She said, "Is it alright if we go to see her, after he's dressed?"

Sylva frowned at her. It was cler that she disapproved of Luna disappearing with Noctis--not because it wasn't allowed but because Luna hadn't said anything to begin with. Not that she had known Noctis would be there when she woke up but--she was not going to expose her friend.

King Regis spoke first. "Noctis, are you sure you're feeling up to it?" He seemed concerned and Luna wondered if it was because he too noticed Noctis' odd reaction to Regis' prescence.

"Yeah!" Noctis blurted. "I mean...There's something I really wanna talk to Gentiana about. It's really important and...stuff." Luna couldn't see it but she was sure Noctis had just flushed in embarrassment.

King Regis smiled a bit and then turned to Luna's Mother. "Sylva, as long as they are together with Lady Gentiana, I'm sure they will be fine," He said, confidence rolling from him in strong waves. Luna wondered where he got that confidence from and if, one day, she could learn to be the same in all that she did.

Sylva sighed. "...Fine. Lady Gentiana should be in the study overlooking the sylleblossom fields today. You may go after Noctis is dressed."

With permission granted, Regis took Noctis' wheelchair and disappeared into his room with the young boy. Luna fretfully watched them go, worried for Noctis. He seemed shaken still by his father's presence and she wanted to ease those fears. The only problem was that she had no idea how to do so.

Her mother touched her shoulder, drawing Luna's attention. "Luna, why did you not say anything about taking Prince Noctis to your rooms?" Sylva asked, grimly frowning.

Luna hesitated: She could admit now, that Noctis had come to her with her unknowing--or she could continue to take the blame. She straightened. Noctis would take no blame for such a burden. He already knew the true burden of his life, just as she knew hers.

(Perhaps she was being dramatic: But she was still a child, at heart, so even such a small thing seemed larger than it was. Luna, still though, wanted Noctis to feel safe around her and she will not betray that just to make her mother happy.)

"I wasn't thinking," She said, "I should've said something, I know this now. At the time I was too...worried for Noctis to think to tell someone."

Sylva frowned. "Worried, dear moon?"

Luna flushed but smiled softly at the nickname: it seemed her mother wasn't too angry with her. "Mother, I don't want to tell you anything Noctis may not want to share. After we speak with Gentiana and I ask Noctis, I will tell you what I can."

Her mother hesitated and then nodded, accepting Luna's answer for what it was. Sylva placed a hand on Luna's head and said, "Keep yourself safe, dear moon, yourself and Prince Noctis."

* * *

Noctis bounced a little in his wheelchair, Luna pushing it forward. She can't tell if he's nervous or excited--just that he's brimming with energy. Luna, for a brief moment, wished that Noctis could walk again. There's no doubt in her mind that Noctis loved to run and not being able to was likely torture.

Well, it would be for her anyway. It must be the same for Noctis, too, right? Either way, once her mother healed the last of the underlying issues, Noctis could go full into his physical therapy.

...Part of her felt silly. Here she was, thinking about how Noctis must not like to be stuck in a wheelchair when they're off to face a Messenger of the Astrals to learn all they could for this stupid prophecy. Luna really had no idea what she was doing, huh? She had to get it together.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped around the wheelchair and opened the doors for Noctis, so that she may push the wheelchair unhindered. She heard Gentiana's soft voice calling to her behind her as Luna returned to her spot behind Noctis' wheelchair.

"Hi, Gentiana." Noctis greeted shyly. He had ducked his head at the sight of the Messenger. Luna didn't exactly blame him, if only because she knew Noctis was a rather shy boy.

Gentiana ducked her head to Noctis. "Hello, young prince. May I ask why you require me at this time?"

Luna straightened before pushing Noctis' wheelchair to the table in the center of the room. She took a moment to sit down with the younger boy and Gentiana tilted her head at them, her eyes still firmly closed.

Noctis went from shy to serious. "U-um, Miss Gentiana! I had a dream last night? And um. He told me what's gonna happen and I don't want Luna or Dad to die or anyone else either actually. But I dunno how to save everyone without me dying too because that's what he said would happen!! And he also said that the sc-our-ge thing is Ifrit's fault but if it is why aren't the Astrals taking care of it?? I don't get it."

Gentiana's eyes had opened at some point during Noctis' long spiel, wide with shock. What she ws shocked over, Luna had no idea: Anything Noctis had said could've easily been what had shocked her. Of course, Noctis was now a bright red as if he had finally realized just how long he had ranted for.

The Messenger seemed to be thinking, long and hard, about what Noctis had said. Luna frowned as Gentiana eventually closed her eyes again and murmured something to herself. What...?

"It appears," Gentiana said aloud, "That the World itself is intervening. It has been some time since we have had such a thing happen--but..." Luna was surprised by her general unease and confusion: Gentiana had never been confused like she seemed now. At least, not openly.

Of course, what in the world could she be talking about? The World? What exactly does that even mean, the World? Why would the World itself have any sort of reaction? It's not like it was alive.

Luna watched the Messenger walk around the table and sit down for the first time. Before now, whenever Gentiana spoke with either of them, she had been standing. Now it seemed...almost like she was talking to them as if they were equals.

"What's that mean?" Noctis asked.

Gentiana tilted her head to him. "In short, young King, the World has the same power as the Astrals. However...unlike the Six, the World cannot act itself. To do so would risk the destruction of all on the surface so more often than not, the World acts through a proxy." She nodded to Noctis. "It seems as if the World has decided to act as proxy through you, young King."

Noctis fiddled with his shorts as he thought. Luna watched him from her seat next to the younger boy. She could understand his hesitance--He probably didn't understand why this 'World' would act through him. Luna still wondered exactly what that meant. Would Noctis be alright?

"As such, that means that the World finds our current path...insufficient." Noctis made a face at Gentiana's words: Luna stifled a laugh. If he didn't know what that meant, she'd tell him later. Gentian continued. "We must find another path--one that the World is more likely to be pleased by."

Luna's mirth vanished like dew under the sun. "And how do we know what that will be?"

The Messenger turned her head to the study windows, as if studying the world outside. "There are three alternate paths. One, is to follow the current path and then seek the Infernian in the sands of Solheim. Two, is to walk from the current path and seek the shattered crystals of ages passed. Three, allow another's blood to pay the price of King of King's life."

Noctis' voice was quiet and small. "A-aren't I supposed to be the King of Kings thingy...?" Luna clasped his hand with hers: She had only suspected, because of the words that the prophecy held but she had never known for sure that Noctis would die.

She didn't want him to die.

Gentiana ducked her head to Noctis in ascension. "That is correct. I doubt you will take the third path--As it is unlikely even Bahamut would agree to it. The other two however..."

"Why would making a covenant with the Pyreburner make a difference?" Luna asked with a frown. Noctis nodded with her, even if he didn't entirely understand her question.

"The reason for the King of Kings' death is two-fold: To satisfy an old grudge held by Accursed that the young King unfairly carries and to strengthen the magic to kill the scourge in all places of the world," Gentiana said, "Had Ifrit's power been added to the overall magic gathered by the King of Kings at the end of the current path...That would ensure that a magic boost is unneeded and the grudge may be cast aside."

Luna tightned her grasp on Noctis' hand: So, if they just made covenants with all the Astrals...than they'd have enough magic that Noctis wouldn't have to die? That sounded good enough to her but she wanted to know about the second path Gentiana had spoken of. "What would happen with the second path you mentioned?" She asked.

Gentiana hummed ever so softly before she said, "The second viable path is the one to search for the broken crystals. Or at least their shattered remains: Once, the path was to gather all four of the crystals to use their power to purge the scourge from the star. However, shortly before the Accursed was cursed, the Solheim crystal was destroyed in war. Tenebrae's followed--though the remains of it can be found close to the royal family stil yet.

"Last, the Accordo Crystal, which has been lost a thousand years ago to Levianthan's storms. Lucis' crystal is currently the only one still with power but should you be able to find the fragments of th destroyed crystals and the lost crystal...perhaps, that too will have enough power to destroy the scourge without the death of the King of Kings."

Choices--Luna didn't know what to choose. Either choice would give Noctis the chance to survive and wasn't that the most important thing? The current path plus Ifrit...that seemed the best bet for Noctis' life.

(Even if she lost hers.)

"What about Luna?" She jolted at Noctis' voice. What...? Noctis stared at Gentiana, a heavy frown that he shouldn't have to carry on his face. "Which one is best for both me and Luna?"

Gentiana smiled. "The path of Crystals is best for both."

Noctis nodded, expression far too grim for an eight year old boy. "Okay, then that's the one we'll do then."

"Noctis!" Luna yelped. "There is no need for--"

The tiny boy turned as best her could to look at her, his blue eyes burning like azure fire. "Luna, you're one of the only friends I have! Ignis is around but--but he has to be around, has to be my friend `cause he's my advisor but Luna?? You don't have to be!! Even if you're in some prophecy and meant to help me that doesn't mean you had to be my friend too."

Luna blinked, taken aback by the feriocity of Noctis' words. "Noctis...Ignis also falls into that too, you know. He doesn't have to be your friend but he is because he wants to be--"

Noctis shook his head. "That's different!" Luna didn't see how it was different, but once Noctis got that look on his face, she knew she couldn't convince him otherwise.

"Then, the path of Crystals is yours." The two children jolted as Gentiana spoke. Her soft, kind eyes were open and she smiled at them gently. "The fragments of Solheim are hidden beneath the desert sands and the fragments of Tenebrae are forged into steel. Accordo's Lost is hidden beneath the waves of divine. Bring them to the Lucis and all will be well."

Would it be? Luna didn't know if Gentiana was entirely truthful about that.         

But she supposed they'd just have to walk down this new path they had been given. It was better than the darkness she had previously seen on the horizon--even if now she knew they were walking into the unknown entirely.

Luna prayed all would end well.

**Author's Note:**

> BOY
> 
> headcanon 01: Noctis only had to die to spur the magic just enough to push the Astrals' magic to burn the scourge. it took about 100+ generations to get someone with magic strong enough to do that. well, that and ardyn just really wanted to stab a caelum.
> 
> headcanon 02: astrals can't take care of it on their own because a) one of their number is being a Gigantic Idiot (ifrit) and won't work with them and b) the crystals they would've used as conduits aren't around anymore.
> 
> headcanon 03: the four major countries as we know them in game all had crystals like Lucis did but all of the other 3 were lost. Solheim/Niflheim's was destroyed about 5 ish years before Ardyn went to the Lucis crystal to do the King of Light thing, Tenebrae's was destroyed shortly after by solheim (the fragments were then forged into the Trident), and Accordo lost theirs during a pretty bad storm from leviathan (it's under altissia's waters now). 
> 
> (tied into the above: The 'four crystal' thing is inspired in part by Bravely Default. In case you were wondering.)
> 
> anything else you're curious about, you can hit me up over [here](http://dreamerdarkrequiem.tumblr.com/)


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